Burning Ice
by Selcouth and Imagination
Summary: After Zoe is attacked by a vampire and left for dead, she cannot help but believe that her life is over. But then she awakens and finds herself in the world of the supernatural. With the help of a mysterious vampire called Nathaniel and his loyal companion, Zoe learns how to survive and comes to realise that there can be life after death. Rated M for violence.
1. Prologue

_So this is the first story that I have posted in a long time and I'm hoping that people will find the different perspective and characters interesting. While _Burning Ice _is set in the universe of _Twilight,_ all the main characters are original. I will try to update as much as possible, however I do have a lot of other work to do and won't always have the time to update. I really hope that everyone will like it but feel free to comment and review.  
_

_A word of warning: This fanfiction is rated M because of the amount of violence that it contains._

_And finally, the universe is created by Stephenie Meyer and is rightfully hers. The original characters are my own and any similarities between them and another person or character is purely coincidental._

* * *

**Prologue**

The water overflowed into the street, drowning the shoes that sloshed their way through the back streets of Hobart, Australia. The rain drummed against the black umbrella held by the young woman whose head was bent in the gloomy weather, eager to get home to her younger sister.

She failed to notice her second shadow following her as she hurried through the storm, its dark red eyes - almost black - clung to her like the soaking wet clothes she wore, hardly able to resist the scent of blood.

The lithe creature slowly crept towards her with incredible speed and grace. Its stance was poised, ready to pounce.

In one swift move, the creature leapt forward, capturing the young woman in its grip of iron. It barely noticed her struggle to escape as it sunk its teeth into her neck.

The girl's screams grew weaker as her attacker slowly drained her of her blood, but they were not unheard.

"Hey!" The man's voice cried from the end of the street. "Hey you! Stop that, leave her alone!"

The vampire's head snapped up. He threw the body of the woman to the side of the street, where it landed almost drained of blood, among the rubbish.

The man's eyes widened as the vampire started towards him, a single trail of blood running down the vampire's chin. His eyes were now bright red.

The man tried to run as he realised that something horrible was about to happen to him - although he didn't know what. He turned quickly and tried to get to the end of the street but the vampire was too fast.

Once the blood was drained from the man, the vampire dragged the body to the nearby harbor and hauled the body into the water. He had all but forgotten the girl in the street that he had left, some blood still left in her body and her heart still beating, fighting desperately to keep her alive.

* * *

I was on fire, I was sure of it. Burning alive.

There was no other way to explain the feeling of every cell in my body. I felt as if there was an inferno, not blood running through my veins. But if that was the case, why wasn't I dead?

Why couldn't I escape this burning feeling? I could feel my body convulsing, trying to find some relief from the burning that was all that I could remember, all that I knew.

I could barely feel the shattered glass that dug into my back nor the cold night air.

I was numb to everything but the pain that gripped my body. Never in my eighteen years had I ever been in so much agony. There was no way I was dead. I was in too much pain to be dead.

Why couldn't I just die? Or at least pass out and forget the agony. I would beg for hell if only it would bring an end to the searing pain.

I was oblivious to the world around me - so much so that I could not feel the gentle sway of someone carrying my writhing body. Could not even sense the cool, strong arms that held me.

I could feel my heart starting to race, as if I had just run a marathon. Or had I? I felt as if I was in a race to stay alive, and it was coming down the final seconds to see who would win the race – my desperate body or the blistering poison that was in my veins.

Gradually, my heartbeat slowed. I could feel that it had given up. That it had lost the fight. I couldn't help but feel relieved that it was over – that even though death was the alternative, I wouldn't have to live with the burning.

I took my last breath as my heart thudded to a halt.

It was the end. Over. Finished. Dead.

_Then why was I still conscious?_


	2. Chapter One

**Chapter**** One**

I felt different somehow. I was myself, but not _me_.

The pain that I had experienced was an echo. It was a half forgotten dream that had retreated to a dull burning sensation at the back of my throat – only a ghost of the mysterious inferno that had raged through my body.

I just lay where I was, not moving on the cold hard surface, trying figure out where I was.

There was the constant sound of racing wheels and beeping horns in the distance, but that was only faint compared to the constant pound of rain against tin, concrete and soil and the whistling wind. There was the blurred mix of talking and static – as if from a TV or radio that was near by.

Even closer than the sound of the TV and radio were other voices that were accompanied by the rustle of paper, closer and clearer – as if they were in the same room. Wherever I was, I wasn't alone.

I slowly opened my eyes, taking in the unfamiliar scene around me, as before, processing and analysing everything I saw in the instant that I saw it.

I was lying on a long table that was made out of dark coloured wood. The furniture – like the table - around the room seemed modern and luxurious. Everything about this place looked, and even _smelled,_ expensive. I continue to glance around the room, focusing on the tiniest of dust moats then quickly turning my attention to the other side of the room.

In the corner sat two men, everything about the way that they were sitting was casual and at ease. But their scarlet eyes were pinned on me, not even blinking.

Who…? How…? Did they…?

My mind skimmed through the questions that came to my mind, vision tinting with red with anger as I considered the possibilities.

I spun into a crouch on the ground sizing up the two men in front of her. A venomous hiss echoed around the room. The two men reacted at impossible speeds, but at the same time the speed did not seem so impossible. They were now standing in front of me but just out of my reach, their bodies tensed.

"Who are you?" My voice was clear and ethereal as it rang in the silence. It did not sound like me

"We're friends. We want to help"

The first of the two men – the one that spoke - was tall and slender, built like a long distance runner with toned muscles, straight blonde hair that framed high cheekbones. What ruined the image were the critical ruby eyes, which were watching me closely – that and his cadaverous skin. He had a slight British accent when he spoke. He radiated authority – I felt as though he was in charge, even though he had barely said a word – I felt as if I should be grateful that he wanted to help, to give up his time for me and offer his friendship. But I just couldn't trust him, not with all the theories running through my head.

He's companion remained quiet behind him. Other than the colourless skin and the red eyes, he had very little in common with the first man. The second man was stocky – with a short but broad frame.

"What… what have you done to me?"

My angelic voice echoed through the room again – filled with uncertainty as I slowly relaxed my taut body, but still on edge.

"We didn't do anything to you. We found you like this." The taller stranger murmured, "_We _saved you."

_Saved_ me? From who – or what?

"I understand that this is all very confusing for you, but you must be thirsty," the first man began, giving the second man a gesture that caused him to leave the room before continuing, "perhaps it would be best for you to drink something before we explain more."

As he said this, the second man returned carrying a limp body in his arms, its neck was bent at a strange angle and there was a small cut in its neck.

_Drink? _Suddenly the burning feeling in my throat intensified, the flames threatening to consume me if I didn't douse them. My mouth watered for the taste of… My eyes zeroed in on the trickle of blood.

I leapt forward, sinking my teeth in without a second thought.

The warm hot liquid that flowed through my lips was heavenly, extinguishing the inferno that was in my throat. It was so sweet, so salty – like caramel popcorn, the perfect mix of flavours.

The heavenly liquid ran out almost instantly. I licked my lips, still tasting the delicious flavour in my mouth. The blaze in my throat was now smouldering – easily forgotten.

I wiped the liquid that was dribbling down my chin off with my hand while glancing around the room again. Everything seemed to be in slightly better focus now, I could see the dust floating around what I now recognised as a hotel room. An eighth colour that I had never seen before reflected of a mirror in the corner, shimmering next to the other seven colours.

I looked down and for the first time noticed what was in my lap. It was a body of a man with a bloody gash across his neck. He had grey flecks beginning to show in his inky hair and creases around his eyes from smiling. _Who was he?_ The now lifeless brown eyes stared up at the ceiling. The white top that he wore was covered in blood from the gaping wound in his neck that was bled dry.

I had done that. I had ended this mans life. I had ripped out his throat. I had _drunk _his blood.

_And I had liked it_.

I jolted away from the body, covering my face with my hands before realising that they too were covered in blood along with my t-shirt, my lips and the tips of my hair. What had I done? What did this make me? A cannibal? How could I ever fix this?

"Oh God," I choked. "What have I done? What am I?"

I directed my last question towards the men, desperately trying to figure things out. Something was wrong with me. I was a monster.

"Just try to calm down," the taller man urged. "My name is Nathaniel. I'm not going to hurt you."

He wanted me to _calm down_? After what I had jus done? I wrapped my arms around my body, trying to hold myself together, to contain the hysteria that was bubbling just below the surface.

Nathaniel sighed, running his hand through his hair before slowly walking up to me with his hand held up in front of me, waiting for me to take it. Hesitantly I unwound one of my arms from around my torso and took his hand. He pulled me up effortlessly and led me over to the mirror in the corner.

I glanced shyly at the mirror – almost afraid to see what I would be reflected.

The girl in front of me was like me, but not quite the same. She had long raven hair with a slight wave through it. Jeans and a plain t-shirt –although both were splattered with blood - covered her tall willowy frame, which before now, had always seemed too thin but was now toned perfectly. While she had always been considered pale, it now seemed as if her skin was made of ice.

She saw the girl in the mirror's hand unconsciously brush against her cheek as she stared at the eyes.

The last time I had seen my reflection they had been icy blue, now they glowed bright, and as red as the blood she had just drank.

Next to me stood Nathaniel. He was observing closely as I placed my hand on the mirror, a small smile creeping onto his face.

"It really is you," Nathaniel assured me. "You had better like it too, because it's the face you'll have for the rest of eternity."

Did I like the look of the girl in the reflection? Yes – other than the red eyes that is. If you took the eyes out of the image, then it was me but with every flaw subtracted from the equation. It was the more perfect doppelganger of me. I could live with this face for eternity.

"Wait, eternity?" I question, turning to face Nathaniel. "That… that's not possible."

"Well, I promise you it is. Let's just say that it's an effect of being a vampire."

Vampire. The word echoed around my head.

I wanted to say that that couldn't be true – how could vampires exist? But after everything that had happened today, I had begun to question everything that I had ever known to be true. I racked my brain, trying to think of everything I knew about vampires. Pale skin. Check. Red eyes. Check. Drinks blood – I give a shudder – check. Was it possible that I was a vampire?

"What is your name?" Nathaniel asked, drawing me out of my thoughts.

"Zoe," I say. "Zoe Barnett"

"Well, it is a pleasure to meet you, Miss Zoe Barnett," Nathaniel takes my hand as he says this, planting a kiss on it. "Do happen to have any family or someone who might notice that you are missing?"

I try to think. My mind seems foggy; I feel like I know everything about my past, but as soon as I reach for a memory, a specific moment or detail, my mind is sluggish. Did I have a family?

"A sister." I say simply, trying to remember. And suddenly I knew. "Jas. Oh God! What's going to happen to her? She must be so scared."

My baby sister, who was only twelve, left with our mother who was incapable of looking after herself, let alone her daughters. For years I had been the one to care for Jas. I felt as if I had practically raised her. And now I had left her to fend for herself. How could I do this?

"We have to go back," I declare. "I won't leave her."

I turn to the door; ready to walk, run, _sprint _home, so that I could see Jas again, let her know that I was all right and that she would be all right.

I feel a hand reach out and grab my upper arm, fingers digging into my skin. I swing around, ripping the hand from my arm as I go. Nathaniel's expression is one of pain as I crush his hand.

The second man starts from the corner where he had been invisibly loitering and observing the scene that had unfolded. He had not said a word and I had forgotten him – I did not even know his name. Nathaniel gives him a look, shaking his head – clearly indicating that he did not want help.

I hesitantly released Nathaniel's hand.

"I don't think you understand. I _must _get back to my sister. I don't have a choice."

I just wanted him to grasp how important it was that I get back to Jas.

Nathaniel looked sorrowful.

"You can't go back. No matter how much you want." His eyes flicked over to the man in the corner then back at me. "You've been gone for four days already. According to everyone, you disappeared mysteriously - and it has been an excessively public disappearance. If you go back now – looking like you do – there would be too many questions asked. And that's if you can control yourself and draw no extra attention.

If you stay with us, we can teach you control, look after you, and show you the world. To everyone, you were attacked on that night and died. People cannot know what happened to you – not even your sister. I'm sorry Miss Barnett – Zoe – there is no easy way to say this. You can never go back. You're old life is dead."

* * *

_So I finally got the first chapter up. I'm hoping that I will be able to update a lot quicker now, but I make no promises. This chapter isn't Beta'd but hopefully there aren't any mistakes. Let me know what you think_


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